Empowered
by Eternal Flight
Summary: Ami was a maid who had lived her life in the Takarai household alone and looked down upon. Now, Kou, the household's only son, has began trying to pact a friendship with her. What will this bring about? Based on the manga called Ren-ai Shijo Shugi.


**Chapter 1:** **This Destructive Household**

These walls have always echoed passion. At the beginning, I was so frightened by it, that I wish I'd never come here. Now, as I walk across the halls of the Takarai Mansion, those same sounds that used to upset me to the point of disgust just bounce around in the space of my head, ignored by my brain. I walked into the misses room, ducked my head to see her yet again sleeping with another of her business' top officials. A lot of the other maids say that she was the one who first destroyed this family, but I don't really care. This family has been doomed since the day that I first showed up here, and pointing fingers would help no one.

I dropped the things off in her closet and stepped out the door, clicking the door shut behind me. She could at least have the small decency for the rest of the people who walk around this house and close the door. Moans and cries are not the best thing to hear in the morning. Shaking all these unpleasant thoughts out of my head, I started to hum a little tune, even though I knew what the extent of the day was going to be like; a little piece and quiet until the misses and her husband went to work, then havoc on into the night until one finally decided they needed some sleep. It was unnerving for me, a maid, to have to work in these hostile conditions, but I did my job nonetheless.

I clicked open the room at the far end of the hall, which was by far the quietest place in the morning when everyone was home. I looked over to see Kou, the seventeen year old son of this family, who was a spoiled, witty brat who grew up as an only child. He looked up from the book he was reading, the food he was about to eat dangling a few inches away from his face in his free hand. Noticing me, he just sighed and went back to his book, which was only what I expected.\

"Good morning, Master Kou." I greeted, giving him a quick bow.

"Enough with all that formal crap, Ami." Kou said, closing his book with a quick slam. "You know it does you good to suck up."

"_And how would you know, dummy? Sucking up all these years has kept me my job, unlike you, who will probably never have to work in their entire lives."_ I thought, resisting the urge to roll my eyes.

"It's your father's wishes for me to greet you like that. I am your maid, after all, and I have no right to be greeting you on a personal level."

"You've been my maid for almost three years, Ami. You follow orders from me, not my father, and you should know that by now." He replied, crossing his arms.

"Yeah, I know." I said, as I put his clothes into their appropriate places in the closet.

"I wish you weren't so cold with me, Ami." He said, startling me. "I'm just a year older than you, so stop treating me like an adult. We could know each other on a personal basis instead of just this crappy maid-master situation set up by my parents."

I just stared at him for a few moments. This was so weird, because this was nothing like the regular Kou, who usually spoke a few words to me daily. I know sometimes I'd catch him watching me, and I'd just smile at him and he'd turn away and go back to whatever he was doing. I thought he could care less if I was dead, but now it seemed like Kou was actually trying to click with me. Maybe he was just lonely around the house, so he wanted me to fill that gap a little more than I'd hoped. Still, why did he pick me? He could have asked any of the other eleven maids working in the mansion, most of which were prettier than me, and of course older.

Still, I knew him all of his life, but knew nothing about him other than how he liked his bed made, what he prefered to eat for breakfast, and how he liked his clothes folded. He went to the same preparatory school that his father was chairman of, but I knew nothing about who he was friends with, or what any of his clubs were. He intrigued me, but it would be over my boundaries to ask about his personal life. In a job sense, he was my manager, and you never got too close to them if you wanted to have a healthy work routine.

"Okay." I said beyond my belief, shutting my mouth tightly to keep myself from saying anything more unexpected.

I saw a small sparkle in his dark eyes, as he flashed a signature smile. That meant only one thing to me- trouble. He got up from his chair, and started making his way towards me. I could feel my heart in my throat, and I was dreading what he was going to do next. Fortunately, he swung towards the closet and paid me no more attention.

"I have to accompany my father to a business meeting today, so I won't need you during the day." He said as I heard some rustling coming from where he was. "You probably have some other tasks to complete, so you may be on your way."

"Thank you, mas- erm, Kou." I said, trying not to irritate him anymore.

"Oh, and Ami?" He said, poking his head outside of the closet.

"Yes?" I said, tilting my head to see him.

"Be sure to bring a cup of tea for you and myself when I return home this afternoon." He said, retreating back into the closet. "I want to just sit and chat with you for a while, and that's a order. Now be off, unless you want to watch me change."

"No thanks." I replied with a snort. "Good bye."

As I stepped outside of his room, I walked a little ways until I decided to stop and lean against the wall. Either Kou was having a change of mind, or he was planning something. Deep in my gut, I felt like this was just a plan to use me for his own personal use, like I had heard he had done to some of the other maids before me. Then why did I agree to be on more friendly terms with him? Something was wrong with me, and only time would tell what I would have to pay.

AN: Yay, the first chapter is up! Please Review!!


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